Board of Education Pains

[james allen bickerton]

While attempting to expand my young piano tuning business, I did what I
am sure a lot of you have done.  I attempted to crack the lucrative
school system market.  While visiting a local High School, i was told
that tuning contracts were obtained through the local Board of
Education.  So far, so good.  I visited the local Board with my tuning
package in hand, confident that my pricing structure and services
offered were as competitive as any in the local area.  But I never made
it past the Receptionist desk.  A phone call to the Maintenance
Supervisor secretary revealed that there was NO FORMAL BIDDING PROCESS,
and the "vendor that is routinely used is quite adequate, and will
continue to be used, however, if you leave your package with us, we will
keep it on file for future reference."  When I inquired again about the
possibility of bidding for work, I was told that "Dr. So and So makes
the vendor assignments as the tuning requirements are called in from the
field."  Needless to say, I felt rejected, even though I didn't take it
personally, knowing that in a lot of instances, no, most instances, WHO
you know is more important than WHAT you know.  My question is, have any
of you experienced a similar situation, and how did you manage to "break
in" through the glass barrier?
                                             JIM
                                             Starving Piano Tech